In the particular respect of comparative linguistics, Old Norse was descended from Proto-Norse (alternatively known as Proto-Scandinavian), a Indo-European language spoken in Northern Europe from late Antiquity to the beginning of the Viking period (2nd century AD-8th century AD). The alphabet used by both Proto-Norse and Old Norse was known as ‘futhark‘, a Runic script. However, Proto-Norse used a distinctive Runic set than its successor, Old Norse.

Detailed map of Europe in c. 900, highlighting areas where Old Germanic languages were spoken. Legend: Red – Old West Norse; Orange – Old East Norse; Pink – Old Gutnish; Yellow – Old English; Green – Old West Germanic languages (e.g. Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Old High German); Blue – Crimean Gothic. Image source: www.commons.wikimedia.org

In order to make the discrepancy between these writing systems, it must be mentioned that the original one was

the Elder Futhark (in use from the 2nd century AD to the 8th century AD). From it, the Younger Futhark (in use throughout the renowned Viking Age) was descended. Later on, after the Christianisation of Scandinavia, the Younger Futhark ceased to exist and was replaced with the Latin alphabet.

However, in parallel, the medieval Latinised Scandinavian runes were also used, mainly for decorative purposes, up to the mid 19th century. Closely related writing systems to the Norse Futhark include the Gothic runic alphabet, the Anglo-Saxon futhorc, and the Dalecarnian runes. The latter had been used in the Swedish province of Dalarna until the round of the 20th century as the writing system of Elfdalian.

Old West Norse (once spoken along the coastlines of present-day Norway, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, as well as parts of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales)

Old Gutnish (once spoken in Gotland, the largest island in present-day Sweden)

The Anglo-Saxon alphabet (also known as ‘Futhorc’), closely related to its Norse counterpart, the Futhark. Image source: www.commons.wikimedia.org

After the end of the Viking era, the dialects of Old Norse gradually evolved into the contemporary North Germanic languages, which can be geographically branched into two categories as follows:

Continental Scandinavian: Danish, Elfdalian, Norwegian, and Swedish (which together form a dialect continuum)

Insular Scandinavian: Icelandic and Faroese

Norn and Greelandic Norse are two extinct languages that were descended from Old Norse but ceased to be spoken in the meantime (Norn went extinct in the mid 19th century whereas Greenlandic Norse much more earlier, most likely at some point during the 15th century).

Nowadays, the most closest North Germanic languages to Old Norse are Icelandic, Faroese, and Elfdalian.